Electric sign



Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,163 s. GA'rKowsKl ELECTRIC SIGN Filed July 23. '1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E Ldneses faul@ @az/ows/L 522%@ @Muomeg Feb. 7, 192s. 1,658,163 S. GATKOWSKI ELECTRIC SIGN Filed July 23. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 7,1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

Application led July 23, 1927. Serial No. 207,968.

a device which comprises a supporting frame and a housing at the rear of said frame, and reflectors in the housing equipment with -cartridge type luminescent lighting means adapted to be readily replaced and said frame being provided with stenciled lettering so that the light emanating from said reflectors will be evenly dispersed and projected through the stenciled openings, and thereby producing the desired appearance.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in whichzkFigure 1 is a front elevational vlew of an electric sign incorporating my invention.

Fi ure 2 is a sectional View taken on substantially the line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on substantially the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the supporting clamp for the cartridge illuminators, and is taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevational View partly in section, showing the construction of the cartridge illuminators incorporated in my invention.

Figures 6 and 7 are schematic Wiring diagrams which may be employed in my invention.

In the drawings and for the purpose of illustration, I have shown the preferredembodiment of my invention, in which 10 represents a housing consisting of end Walls 11, a rear wall 12, and top and bottom walls 13.

The front of said casing 10 is provided with integral fianges 14 on which rests the stenciled display plate 15, which ispreferably a plate of glass being suitably' stained or etched in certain portions thereof, and being clear in other portions such as at 16 for permitting the full beam of light to pass through said clear portions, and produce the desired lettering effect on the sign. The glass plate 15 is held in place by means of a suitable frame 17 consisting` ofk angles as shown in Figure 3.

Within the casing 10 are suitably positioned and secured brackets 18 on to which are secured parabolic reflectors 19.

Cartridge illuminators 20 are positioned within said reflectors at substantially the focus thereof as shown in Figure 3 and are adapted to project a beam of light on to the reflector and thence through the clear portions 16 of the stenciled member 15 as desired. The cartridge illuminators 2O are provided with metallic sealing caps 21,which are secured between the prongs 22 of the clamping member 23, which is held in position by means of screws 24, having threaded engagement with suitable supporting posts 25 which are mounted in the casing 10.

Electric conductors 26 and 27 lead into said casing from any suitable source of electric power and are electrically connected with the caps 21 of the cartridge illuminators by means of the brackets 23 and the screws Y28 as shown in Figure 2. Said illuminators consist of relatively small glass tubes having the inner portion 29 filled with a suitable electric conducting gas'which is highly luminescent when electricity is passi ing therethrough. The metallic sealing caps 21 are positioned over the ends of the glass portion and completely exclude the atmosphere from communicating with the gas within.

In Figures 6 and 7 are shown two forms of wiring arrangements; one showing the cartridges connected in parallel thereby permitting a defective cartridge to be readily detected, and the other, namely, Figurel 7, showing the cartridges connected in series which may be more desirable for the pur pose of obtaining a uniform luminescence in all of the cartridges and this arrangement is particularly adapted for relatively higher electric potentials.

Having described my invention in its preferred form, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that it is capable of variations without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of such Variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

An electric sign comprising a casing; cartridge illuminators within said casing; said illuminators being readily replaceable and consisting of glass tubes having electric conducting gas therein, and sealing caps on mounted in front of said reflectors; and a frame for securing said display plate in position. 10

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

STANLEY GATKOWSKI.. 

